EP0314706A1

EP0314706A1 - Frameless spectacles or sunglasses

Info

Publication number: EP0314706A1
Application number: EP87907261A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Guillermo Mujica Vilar
Original assignee: ROLLENS SUNGLASSES Inc (a California corporation)
Current assignee: ROLLENS SUNGLASSES, INC. (A CALIFORNIA CORPORATION
Priority date: 1987-03-10
Filing date: 1987-07-22
Publication date: 1989-05-10
Also published as: WO1988007219A1; EP0314706A4; AU8177787A

Abstract

Les lunettes de soleil décrites comprennent une feuille élastique, transparente, allongée et légère (10) présentant une partie de pont nasal (12), des parties occulaires (14, 16) et des parties temporales aux extrémités (18, 20). La feuille est enroulée sous la forme d'un rouleau avec mémoire et, lorsqu'elle est déroulée, le pont nasal et les parties occulaires suivent généralement les contours du visage de l'utilisateur, alors que les parties temporales exercent une pression contre les tempes de l'utilisateur de façon à maintenir les lunettes en place. Ladite feuille est pourvue d'un matériau approprié de protection contre le soleil destiné à absorber les rayons lumineux indésirables.The sunglasses described comprise an elastic, transparent, elongated and light sheet (10) having a nasal bridge part (12), ocular parts (14, 16) and temporal parts at the ends (18, 20). The sheet is rolled up in the form of a roll with memory and, when it is unrolled, the nasal bridge and the ocular parts generally follow the contours of the face of the user, while the temporal parts exert a pressure against the temples to keep the glasses in place. Said sheet is provided with an appropriate sun protection material intended to absorb unwanted light rays.

Description

FRAMELESS SPECTACLES OR SUNGLASSES BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to spectacles or sunglasses and more particularly sunglasses of the frameless type.

Many different types of spectacles or sunglasses have been used in the past. Generally such sunglasses comprise a metal, plastic or even wooden frame which is generally foldable. Glass or plastic transparent lenses are secured within the frames so that the lenses are interposed over the eyes where the glasses are placed on the wearer's face. The glasses are generally tinted to filter out unwanted light rays.

Such conventional sunglasses are generally heavy and, therefore, provide some degree of discomfort to the wearer. Recently, a type of unstructured plastic glasses with various tints has been introduced in which a strap extending around the back of the head is used to hold the glasses in place. The strap, however, presents complications to the use of such glasses.

There is a need for lightweight, inexpensive and easy-to-use sunglasses or spectacles. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the present invention, sunglasses or spectacles for use in protecting a person's eyes comprises an elongated, transparent sheet formed so that in its unstressed state it assumes a roll-like shape and when unrolled it tends to roll back upon itself. The sheet includes a temple section on each end, a nose bridge section and an eye section located between the nose bridge section and each respective temple section. The nose bridge section is arranged to fit over the wearer's nose to properly align the sheet so that the eye sections extend in front of the wearer's eyes. The temple sections are arranged to exert pressure (as a result of the sheet tending to roll up) against the wearer's temples to hold the sunglasses in place. The sunglasses or spectacles are lightweight, inexpensive and will return to a roll configuration for ease of storing when not in use. The sheet may be tinted or provided with a layer of sunscreening material for filtering out the unwanted light rays. The features of this invention, both as to its organization and operation, will be best understood from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like parts are given the same reference letters throughout the several figures. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a sheet of transparent material which, when formed into a flexible roll with memory, provides frameless sunglasses or spectacles in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the sheet of Figure 1 in a roll-lik configuration; and

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the sunglasses or spectacles of th present invention in place on a person's face.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now to the drawings, the .sunglasses or spectacles of th present invention comprise an elongated, resilient, transparent sheet 1 having a nose bridge section 12 and a pair of eye sections 14 and 1

^' disposed on either side of the nose bridge section. Temple sections 18 an

20 are formed on the ends of the sheet 10 for engaging the temples of th wearer to hold the sheet 10 in place on the wearer's face as will b explained in more detail.

The sheet 10 is formed into a roll-like shape (in an unstressed state depicted in Figure 2 so that the sheet has memory and will tend to wra around itself and return to the roll shape. The sheet 10, when unrolled an placed upon a person's face as illustrated in Figure 3, will generally follo the contours of the wearer's face with the nose bridge 12 serving to align th sheet with the eye sections 14 and 16 extending in front of the wearer's eye and the temple sections applying an inward pressure against the wearer' temples to hold the glasses or sheet 10 in place. The pressure applied b the temple sections, while sufficient to normally hold the glasses in place, i insufficient to cause discomfort to the person wearing the glasses.

The sheet 10 may conveniently be cut (e.g. by a die) from a roll sheet of a suitable transparent (e.g. thermosetting) plastic such as Mylar® ( trademark of the Dupont Corporation) having an appropriate thickness, e. 700 gauge or 7 millimeter (mm), to cause the temple sections to appl sufficient pressure to the wearer's temples to hold the glasses in plac without causing discomfort. A layer, such as a sheet of a suitable tintin material, may be added to the Mylar^® sheet to provide the desired color shading. For example, I have found that a sheet of Scotchtint^® (a tradema of the 3M company) of a suitable color may be secured to the Mylar^® by th self adhesive on the Scotchtint®. The combined sheet of Mylar^® an Scotchtint^® may then be formed into a roll as shown in Figure 2 and heate (e.g. in air or water at a temperature of about 60°C) for a sufficient amount time (e.g. 2-4 minutes) to cause the sheet to be set. When the heat removed, the sheet will return to the roll-like shape with a memory explained above.

There have thus been described novel frameless sunglasses spectacles which are light in weight, inexpensive, convenient to wear a simple to store. Various modifications will become apparent to those skill in the art, without involving any departure from the spirit and scope of invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. Sunglasses for use in reducing the light transmitted to wearer's eyes comprising an elongated resilient transparent sheet having an integral nose bridge section, an eye section disposed on each side of the nose bridge section, and a temple section on each end adjacent to the respective eye section the resilient sheet having a memory and being constructed and arranged to wrap around itself into a roll-like shape in an unstressed condition so that when the sheet is unrolled and placed on th wearer's face, the nose bridge and eye sections will generally follow th contour of the wearer's face and the temple sections will exert pressur against the wearer's temples to hold the sheet in place on the wearer's face.

2. The sunglasses of Claim 1 wherein the sheet is made of thermosetting plastic.

3. The sunglasses of Claim 2 wherein the sheet is made o Mylar^® having a thickness of about seven hundred gauge.

4. The sunglasses of Claim 3 wherein the sheet is made o Mylar^® having a thickness of about 7mm.

5. The sunglasses of Claim 4 wherein the sheet is provided with tint to absorb in part light rays having predetermined wave lengths.

6. The sunglasses of Claim 5 wherein the sheet is arranged t absorb between about 50% to 70% of the infrared and ultraviolet light rays.

7. Spectacles for use in protecting a person's eyes comprising a elongated, resilient transparent sheet formed so that in its unstresse condition, it assumes a roll-like shape and when unrolled, it tends to ro back upon itself, the sheet, including a temple section on each end, a nos bridge center section and an eye section disposed between each templ section and the nose bridge section, the nose bridge section being arrange to fit over the person's nose, the eye sections being arranged to extend i front of the person's eyes and the temple section being arranged to exe pressure against the person's temple to hold the sunglasses in place on th person's face the pressure being insufficient to cause discomfort to th person.

8. The spectacles of Claim 7 wherein the sheet is made of a thi thermosetting plastic.

9. The spectacles of Claim 8 wherein the sheet is made o Mylar^®.

10. The spectacles of Claim 9 wherein the sheet is tinted to filte out unwanted light rays.

11. The spectacles of Claim 10 wherein a layer of Scotchtint^® i secured to the Mylar^®.

12. The spectacles of Claim 8 wherein the plastic sheet is abou 7mm thick.